In the prior art, various aspects of application of electromagnetic energy to oil extraction have been explored. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,757,783; 3,133,592; 4,140,180; 4,193,448; 4,620,593; 4,638,863; 4,678,034; and 4,743,725 have mainly dealt with development of specific apparatus for reducing viscosity by using standard microwave generators.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,067,390; 4,485,868; 4,485,869; 4,638,863; and 4,817,711 propose methods of applying microwaves to heat the reservoir and extract oil. All of these methods are concerned with fixed frequencies and one specific technique of extraction.
In order to provide an industrially acceptable solution, there is still a need for approaching this problem with a global outlook. Since each reservoir has its own specific and individual characteristics, it requires a unique and customized protocol for oil extraction.
Use of microwave irradiation technology in oil reservoir extraction had limitations such as depth of penetration and efficiency. It had been believed that because of the high frequencies of microwaves and the high dielectric constant of the reservoirs, much of the microwave energy is absorbed within a short distance. Thus microwaves had been considered to offer limited solution for these purposes.
An important area that all previous approaches have failed to recognize is the consequences of manipulation of electromagnetic field frequency at a molecular level.
Current techniques have not properly addressed the efficiency and consequently the economic feasibility of a microwave process for a specific oil reservoir.